Reopening New York - Government of New York

Reopening New York

Essential and Phase II Retail Business Guidelines for Employers and Employees

These guidelines apply to all in-store non-essential retail businesses in regions of the state that are in Phase II or later of reopening, as well as all in-store essential retail businesses throughout the state. See Interim COVID-19 Guidance for General Retail Business Activities for full details.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all retail businesses should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to retail activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.

Physical Distancing

Mandatory

Recommended Best Practices

Ensure 6 ft. distance between individuals, unless safety or core function of the work activity requires a shorter distance.

Reduce interpersonal contact and congregation through methods such as limiting workforce presence to only the employees necessary to conduct retail activities.

The workforce and customer presence must be limited to no more than 50% of the maximum occupancy for a particular area set by the certificate of occupancy, inclusive of customers, who must maintain 6 ft. of space from others and, in all cases, wear an acceptable face covering.

If small spaces (e.g. elevators, small stock rooms, behind cash registers, narrow merchandise aisles) are occupied by more than one person, keep occupancy under 50% of maximum capacity.

Post social distancing markers using tape or signs that denote 6 ft. of spacing in commonly used and other applicable areas (e.g. clock in/out stations, health screening stations, break rooms, cash registers, merchandise aisles).

Create additional space for employees by limiting in-person presence to only personnel necessary for the current task(s), adjusting retail hours to spread employee and customer traffic over a longer period of time, staggering arrival/departure times, creating A/B teams.

Modify the use and/or restrict the number of workspaces and employee seating areas to maintain 6 ft. distance in all directions.

Modify retail layouts and reduce bi-directional foot traffic by using tape or signs with arrows in narrow aisles, hallways, or spaces.

Provide clearly designated, separate entrances and exits.

Implement a touchless delivery system for merchandise deliveries, where drivers stay in the vehicle while delivery takes place. If not feasible, provide acceptable protective equipment for the delivery process, including, at minimum, a face covering.

Minimize touch points of products by suspending the use of bulk-bins and encourage customers to only touch products they will be buying.

Limit in-person employee gatherings (e.g. meetings) as much as possible.

Establish designated areas for deliveries, limiting contact to the extent possible.

Ensure fitting rooms are equipped with appropriate cleaning and disinfection supplies for employee and customer use, including hand sanitizer.

Close amenities including self-serve bars and samplers.

Provide remote shopping alternatives for customers, including click-and-collect, delivery, and shop-by-phone to limit customers in the establishment.

Use tele- or video-conferencing whenever possible. If a meeting is necessary, it should be held in an open, wellventilated space with appropriate social distancing among participants.

Small spaces (e.g. elevators, small stock rooms, behind cash registers, narrow merchandise aisles) should be occupied by only one individual at a time, unless all individuals are wearing face coverings.

STAY HOME.

STOP THE SPREAD.

SAVE LIVES.

Reopening New York

Essential and Phase II Retail Business Guidelines for Employers and Employees

These guidelines apply to all in-store non-essential retail businesses in regions of the state that are in Phase II or later of reopening, as well as all in-store essential retail businesses throughout the state. See Interim COVID-19 Guidance for General Retail Business Activities for full details.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all retail businesses should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to retail activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.

Physical Distancing (cont'd)

Protective Equipment

Mandatory

Recommended Best Practices

Encourage customers to use touchless payment options or pay ahead.

Encourage customers to bag their own purchases.

Clean and disinfect fitting rooms after each customer's use.

Employers must provide employees with an acceptable face covering at no-cost to the employee and have an adequate supply of coverings in case of replacement.

Acceptable face coverings include but are not limited to cloth (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana) and surgical masks, unless the nature of the work requires stricter PPE (e.g. N95 respirator, face shield).

Face coverings must be cleaned or replaced after use and may not be shared.

Employers must train employees on how to put on, take off, clean and discard PPE, including face coverings.

At check-out registers, employees must wear face coverings or employers must enact physical barriers such as plastic shielding walls, in accordance with OSHA guidelines, in areas where they would not affect air flow, heating, cooling, or ventilation.

Limit the sharing of objects (e.g. tools, registers, and vehicles) and discourage touching of shared surfaces; or, when in contact with shared objects or frequently touched areas, wear gloves (trade-appropriate or medical); or, sanitize or wash hands before and after contact.

STAY HOME.

STOP THE SPREAD.

SAVE LIVES.

Reopening New York

Essential and Phase II Retail Business Guidelines for Employers and Employees

These guidelines apply to all in-store non-essential retail businesses in regions of the state that are in Phase II or later of reopening, as well as all in-store essential retail businesses throughout the state. See Interim COVID-19 Guidance for General Retail Business Activities for full details.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all retail businesses should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to retail activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.

Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection

Mandatory

Recommended Best Practices

Adhere to hygiene and sanitation requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH) and maintain cleaning logs on site that document date, time, and scope of cleaning.

Provide and maintain hand hygiene stations on site, including handwashing with soap, water, and paper towels, as well as an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing 60% or more alcohol for areas where handwashing is not feasible.

Prepare a plan for receipt, cleaning and disinfection, and resale of returned merchandise, or modify policies to ensure safety of employees and customers.

Clean and disinfect returned merchandise, to the extent practicable.

Wherever possible, increase ventilation of outdoor air (e.g. opening windows and doors) while maintaining safety precautions.

Provide and encourage employees to use cleaning and disinfection supplies before and after use of shared and frequently touched surfaces, followed by hand hygiene.

Encourage employees to bring lunch from home and reserve adequate space for employees to observe social distancing while eating meals.

Ensure gloves are worn while handling any food products.

Sanitize hands before and after transferring a load (e.g. truckload) of merchandise.

Conduct regular cleaning and disinfection at least after every shift, daily, or more frequently as needed, and more frequent cleaning and disinfection of shared objects (e.g. registers) and surfaces, as well as high transit areas, such as payment devices, pickup areas, restrooms, common areas, using Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) products identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as effective against COVID-19.

If cleaning and disinfection products or the act of cleaning and disinfection causes safety hazards or degrades the material or machinery, personnel should have access to a hand hygiene station between use and/or be supplied with disposable gloves.

Prohibit shared food and beverages among employees (e.g. self-serve meals and beverages).

Hand sanitizer must be placed throughout the store for use by employees and customers.

STAY HOME.

STOP THE SPREAD.

SAVE LIVES.

Reopening New York

Essential and Phase II Retail Business Guidelines for Employers and Employees

These guidelines apply to all in-store non-essential retail businesses in regions of the state that are in Phase II or later of reopening, as well as all in-store essential retail businesses throughout the state. See Interim COVID-19 Guidance for General Retail Business Activities for full details.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all retail businesses should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to retail activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.

Communication Screening

Mandatory

Recommended Best Practices

Affirm you have reviewed and understand the state-issued industry guidelines, and that you will implement them.

Use social media, verbal communication, and signs to provide customers with instructions and to encourage them to use face coverings.

Post signage inside and outside of the retail location to remind personnel and customers to adhere to proper hygiene, social distancing rules, appropriate use of PPE, and cleaning and disinfection protocols.

Establish a communication plan for employees, visitors, and clients with a consistent means to provide updated information.

Train all personnel on new protocols and frequently communicate safety guidelines.

Conspicuously post completed safety plans on site.

Implement mandatory health screening assessment (e.g. questionnaire, temperature check) before employees begin work each day and for essential visitors (but not customers), asking about (1) COVID-19 symptoms in past 14 days, (2) positive COVID-19 test in past 14 days, and/or (3) close or proximate contact with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case in past 14 days. Assessment responses must be reviewed and such review must be documented.

Perform screening remotely (e.g. by telephone or electronic survey), before reporting to the retail location, to the extent possible.

Maintain a log of employees and visitors who may have close or proximate contact with other individuals at the work site or area; excluding customers; and excluding deliveries that are performed with appropriate PPE or through contactless means.

An individual who screens positive for COVID-19 symptoms must not be allowed to enter the workplace and must be sent home with instructions to contact their healthcare provider for assessment and testing.

If a worker, visitor, or customer who interacted at the business tests positive for COVID-19, cooperate with contact tracing efforts, including notification of potential contacts, such as workers, visitors, and/or customers (if known) who entered the retail location dating back to 48 hours before the employee began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or tested positive, whichever is earlier, while maintaining confidentiality required by state and federal law and regulations.

Require employees to immediately disclose if they begin to experience symptoms, including outside of work hours.

Refer to DOH guidance regarding protocols and policies for employees seeking to return to work after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or after the employee had close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19.

Encourage ? but do not require ? customers to complete a health screen and provide contact information so that they can be logged and contacted for contact tracing, if necessary.

Screeners should be trained by employer identified individuals familiar with CDC, DOH, and OSHA protocols and wear appropriate employer-provided PPE, including, at a minimum, a face covering.

STAY HOME.

STOP THE SPREAD.

SAVE LIVES.

Reopening New York

Essential and Phase II Retail Business Guidelines for Employers and Employees

These guidelines apply to all in-store non-essential retail businesses in regions of the state that are in Phase II or later of reopening, as well as all in-store essential retail businesses throughout the state. See Interim COVID-19 Guidance for General Retail Business Activities for full details.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all retail businesses should stay up to date with any changes to state and federal requirements related to retail activities and incorporate those changes into their operations. This guidance is not intended to replace any existing applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and standards.

Screening (cont'd)

Mandatory

Recommended Best Practices

Immediately notify state and local health department of any positive COVID-19 test result by an employee .

Designate a site safety monitor who will ensure compliance with the business's safety plan.

Provide for the cleaning and disinfection of exposed areas in the event of a positive case, with such cleaning and disinfection to include, at a minimum, all heavy transit areas and high-touch surfaces (e.g. bathrooms, door knobs).

STAY HOME.

STOP THE SPREAD.

SAVE LIVES.

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